Karolina Muchova, a Czech tennis star, has become the first player in the 21st century to win each of her first 10 tie-breaks of the year. Muchova achieved this feat on Wednesday, October 14, 2026.
The Wimbledon finalist in her Wuhan opener got off to a slow start and trailed 3-6, 0-2 against 70th-ranked qualifier Caty McNally. After Muchova dropped six straight games, she made a stunning comeback and succeeded in pushing the set to a tie-break.
In that tie-break, she took a 5-0 lead and then won it 7-1. The sixth-seeded Czech then went on to finish the job by winning the third-set tie-break and cementing a 3-6, 7-6 (1), 7-6 (4) victory.
In 2000, Arantxa Sanchez Vicario won her first nine tie-breaks of the season. Maria Sakkari matched that record in 2020.
By winning the second-set tie-break against McNally, Muchova smashed the previous record set by Sanchez Vicario and Sakkari. Then, by also winning the third-set tie-break against McNally, the 30-year-old Czech set another record and became the first player in the 21st century to win each of her first 10 tie-breaks of the season.
Muchova is set to face Diana Shnaider in the Wuhan round of 16 on Thursday, October 15, 2026. Sports analysts and tennis experts have praised her mental toughness under pressure.
Her current winning streak highlights her exceptional form on the professional tennis tour this year. Fans worldwide are now looking forward to her next high-stakes matches in the tournament.